Ston, Croatia: Salt & Seafood

Mali Ston, Croatia

The Ston Saltworks are the oldest and the biggest preserved ones from the Mediterranean history. Originated as far as the prehistoric period, with their today's form dating from the time of the Republic of Dubrovnik.

During my stay in Mali Ston, we experienced seafood dining at it's finest. 10 courses of delicious, fresh seafood at Vila Korkuna. Platters of oysters, mussels and fresh prosciutto flowed throughout the table. The ocean was right in front of us. A deep blue mystic wonder. I could smell the sea salt and the boats. They were only 5 feet from the large open window next to our table in the restaurant.

The presentation itself was remarkable. Each dish was presented to us, within a seafood capsule. Mussels and craw fish were served in an over sized beautiful pearl en coated mussel shell, and the soup was served in a sea shell bowl, etc. We were blown away. Never had I seen such exquisite seafood served in such an eccentric and decadent manner. It's a must go.

Soho Charm in Western Mass?

It's rare that I'll run into a restaurant or eatery in Western Massachusetts that reminds me in any way of the delectable and creative culinary charm that is NYC or resembles in any way the eccentric culinary form of my favorite James Beard Award Winning Chef of 2010, Tom Colicchio. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I went for a Thursday night meal to Latitude Restaurant in West Springfield, Massachusetts to find that not only did they have quite the impressive menu, but the Executive Chef and Owner, Jeffrey Daigneau has had experience cooking in some of the finest kitchens in NYC and Nantucket, no surprise.

We started with the Welfleet and British Colombian Oysters, then moved on to the Chop Chop Salad with Blackened Shrimp, tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, sweet bell peppers, Berkshire blue, arugula, and red wine vinegar for a reasonable six dollars. The other entree we had was the Pan Roasted Pork Medallions with Caramelized Rhubarb, Pomegranate BBQ and Watermelon & Herb Farro Salad. The Watermelon Martini was also among one of the best I ever tasted. It resembled a watermelon jolly rancher and puckers....delightful.

Iconic & Breathtaking: Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik is by far one of the most iconic and beautiful place I've seen with my own eyes when I was on my recent press trip to Croatia. However, there are a few downsides that tourists should be aware of. First of all, Dubrovnik is the main stop for cruise ships that are going along the Mediterranean, and unfortunately they often come in all at the same time, and along the narrow streets of the Old City, that can make for an uncomfortable case of claustrophobia. Secondly, Dubrovnik is gorgeous, but it's also extremely far from Zagreb, the capital. So if you're staying in Zagreb and looking to hop over to Dubrovnik, be aware that it's approximately a 6-7 hour drive by car, or longer.

Before anyone ventures off to another country, one of the main questions they're pondering is, "what's the food like there?"...I can tell you from personal experience that in Dubrovnik the cuisine differs greatly then the food in Split or Zagreb. Although it's delicious and fresh all over Croatia.

Olivia's, in Dubrovnik, Croatia

 There's tons of seafood in all of Croatia, however, if your looking to try Croatia's premiere seafood, the best seafood is located in a small town in the South of Croatia called Ston. On the press trip, we were set up right on the ocean in Ston, and had clams, mussels, craw fish and every kind of seafood you can imagine brought right to us straight from the ocean. I even got to see where they harvest the mussels about a mile away from the restaurant in Ston. But back to Dubrovnik. The food is almost like a mix between Seafood, Sicilian and American. They have slices of pizza all over Dubrovnik. My favorite was at a little joint called, Olivia's.

You can grab a slice off the streets of the Old City at Olivia's for 10 Kunas, or you can go sit in and eat in their quaint little restaurant and watch the people walk by. No one in Croatia is rushing or moving at a fast pace, so enjoy, sit, sip espresso and let the relaxed climate of Croatia set in.

I ate there several times when I was in Croatia. It was only a 5 minute walk from my hotel to the Old City, so I was able to frequently walk in for a slice of pizza, fries, or a mozzarella salad.

The Pearl of the Adriatic: Croatia

"Don't trust anyone in Croatia and know that we do not rush through our cappuccino and coffee like Americans," the bellboy at the Hotel Palace in Croatia told me about 10 minutes after I had arrived and asked what the most imperative thing to know about Croatia was. Exhausted and cranky, after a few connecting flights and the rocky flight on Croatia Airlines over the Alps which really forced my motion sickness to come into play, I had finally arrived.

All of the pictures I had seen online previous to the press trip did no justice to the actuality of how beautiful Croatia really was. I stood for about 5 minutes outside my hotel just watching people walk by. Noticing the hairstyles, clothes, dispositions and demeanor that was Zagreb. Middle School children walked down the streets smoking cigarettes as carelessly as American's drink water bottles. 

We started off in Zagreb, the capital and the busiest up and coming city in Croatia. I could hear the hustle and bustle all around me. Everyone seemed to be walking at a steady, but slow pace...I remember asking our tour guide, "Doesn't anyone have to rush off to work?" She laughed. "People in Croatia are enjoying their lives. Meeting with friends, having a cigarette and an espresso, we are not running running all the time like Americans." I quickly learned that this was how Croatia was. Everyone was enjoying the moments, and savoring each sip, and damn did I like that way of thinking. I was jealous to see Croatian's sipping cappuccino's at the various outdoor cafes and leisurely having conversations with friends and lovers without any notion of time, or rushing. I thought to myself....I like the sound of this, I think I'll stay for a while.